The Langham New York Fifth Avenue: Luxury and Location

Manhattan is one of the most hotel-saturated boroughs of any city in the United States. Book virtually any hotel and there will be several others within a block, often in a variety of categories and rates.

While New York has its share of legendary hotels, it's certainly also peculiarly wealthy in so-so and downright terrible ones. The city's high costs, historic buildings and fierce competition often conspire to relegate some otherwise nice hotel properties to poor maintenance or too infrequent renovations and refreshes, while the best-managed luxury hotels in the city seem to sparkle more brightly than any of the world's finest.

The Langham New York, Fifth Avenue, falls squarely into the latter category.

The building is new, so there are no finicky elevators or oddly shoehorned room shapes to deal with. Entering through the dazzling porte cochere reminiscent of a Broadway theatre marquee, guests stumble upon an impeccable, cozy ginger-scented lobby with eye-catching contemporary murals that evokes an art deco sensibility, a nod perhaps to the period of the neighborhood's landmarks.

Service is similarly gracious and exhaustively detailed. While sharing the elevator with a room attendant the next day, she noticed which floor was illuminated and seemed to intuitively know what room I was going to and asked what time I'd like for her to service the room. Wow.

Many of the rooms in the 27-story tower have front-row views of the Empire State Building, just a few blocks south. Others look over various parts of the Manhattan skyline, with floor-to-ceiling windows that afford the already airy rooms more light.

My deluxe room was arena-sized by Manhattan standards, with shiny lacquered walnut closets with loads of space and amenities like lint brushes and shoehorns for well-heeled nights on the town. Pressing and shoeshine are complimentary, and my loafers were returned within fifteen minutes.

The rest of the room amenities place them squarely in the upper echelon of New York hotels. In addition to the luxury of space, marble baths have double vanities, rainfall shower, and separate soaker tub deep enough to go snorkeling in. Bathrooms are stocked with seemingly every imaginable vanity necessity, including plush vanity stools and bathroom mirror with built-in television. Bath amenities come courtesy of the hotel's spa, Chuan Body + Soul.

In the evenings, turndown service surprises with pillow soft chocolate chip cookies and bottled water. Guests who prefer to keep the curtains open during the evening need only flip the bedside switches.

Luxury aside, it's the location that really speaks for the place.

Right on Fifth Avenue at 36th street, it feels like the very epicenter of Manhattan-convenient to uptown or downtown, Times Square or Battery Park. Whether one prefers the subway or the plush house car, which offers guests complimentary drop-offs within a 20 street range uptown or downtown, there's not much in town that's too far. Theatre engagements near Union Square and at Lincoln Center both felt equally convenient.

The Bottom Line

This is Midtown Manhattan's hotel for quiet relaxation without fuss or hassle, with an address that few in the city can beat.

The Math

I've seen promotional rates from around $350 per night plus tax during off-peak summer weekends.

Instagrammable Moment

Skyline views and shots of the to-die-for baths are bound to get some Instagram hearts.

Loyalty

Like most top-shelf luxury hospitality brands, the lack of a loyalty program doesn't keep the hotel from attracting a devoted following.

Good To Know

The house car is on a first-come, first-serve basis upon application to the door staff.

For a Far East treat, perhaps as a nod to Langham's Hong Kong head office, there's plenty of Asian cuisine available from room service, including indulgent dim sum and congee breakfasts.

Rooms have Nespresso makers, but there's also complimentary coffee and tea in the lobby during the morning hours-but if you prefer paper-delicate china cups and city views, stick to the Nespresso.

First-time visitors can benefit from being shown to their room by a member of the bell staff, who will explain some not-readily-apparent features like the button for the curtains and the complimentary shoeshine and pressing.

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